Our Ground Game newsletter editors asked AP’s political reporters across the country who have been covering the midterm elections to pick the top story they’ve worked on this year and take stock of what made it memorable.
Here’s what Denver-based reporter Nicholas Riccardi had to say:
“The trajectory of this year’s elections was arguably set in January, when the nation recoiled at President Donald Trump’s immigration surge into Minneapolis and two U.S. citizen protesters were killed by federal agents.
As a political journalist, you tend to be skeptical of people saying any particular issue will be ‘the end of Trump.’ He’s survived impeachments, indictments and controversies that would cripple other politicians. But the deaths helped turn immigration enforcement, which had been a key political strength for the president, into a liability.
Talking to voters in a swing district is the ultimate reality check, and I did that in Colorado’s 8th congressional district, which is represented by Republican Rep. Gabe Evans.
The revulsion was palpable, and not just from Democrats. In addition, every Latino that I spoke to in this heavily-Latino district expressed fear and horror at the administration’s general approach to immigration.
The district is a top target for Democrats in November, and Evans will face former state lawmaker Manny Rutinel. Both candidates are Latino.”
